Rider Categories 2025
2025 NPS categories:
Open
| Category | Age | Duration (approx.) | Comment | |
| Senior 1 | 18+ | 1:15-1:30 hrs | The highest-level race category | |
| Senior 2 | 17+ | 1:15 hrs | The 2nd highest-level race category | |
| Senior 3 | 17+ | 1:00 hrs | The 3rd highest-level race category | |
| Senior 4 | 17+ | 50 mins | Introductory/beginner race category, no league points | |
| Junior* | 16-17 | 1:00 hrs |
* Junior men have a choice of competing in a separate Junior category (ex. second year Junior riders or strong riders coming from another cycling discipline), Senior 3 or Senior 4 Men.
Women
| Category | Duration (approx.) | Comment | ||
| Senior 1 Women | 17+ | 1:15 hrs | The highest-level Women’s race category | |
| Senior 2 Women | 17+ | 1:10 hrs | The 2nd highest-level Women’s race category | |
| Senior 3 Women | 17+ | 50 mins | Introductory/beginner Women’s race category |
* Junior women have a choice of competing in Senior 2 or Senior 3.
Senior beginners (S3 women – S4 men)
The sport will only grow when we attract new people to give cross-country racing a ‘go’.
As per 2019 both the Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women have a reduced entry fee as per a proposal passed at the 2017 Cycling Ireland Off-road Commission AGM.
As per 2019 the Senior 3 women’s race will share the Under 14s course as per a proposal passed at the 2017 Cycling Ireland Off-road Commission AGM.
Both the Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women’s races should last less than 60 minutes.
Youth
Note on Youth age-categories: To determine the correct race category, the age is taken as of the 1st January 2025.
| Category | Age | Duration (approx.) | Comment |
| Under 16 | 14-15 | 50 min | Youth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 14 or 15 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year. |
| Under 14 | 12-13 | 30 min | Youth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 12 or 13 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year. |
| Under 12 | 10-11 | 15-20 min | Youth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 10 or 11 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year |
| Under 10 | 8-9 | 10 min | Youth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 8 or 9 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year |
| Under 8 | <8 | 5 min | Youth category (boys and girls) This category is for riders who were 6 or 7 years old on the 1st of Jan in the current year |
Year of birth by category (for 2025)
Seniors – those born 2006 or earlier
Juniors – those born 2007 or 2008
Under 16s – those born 2009 or 2010
Under 14s – those born 2011 or 2012
Under 12s – those born 2013 or 2014
Under 10s – those born 2015 or 2016
Under 8s – those born 2017, 2018, 2019 etc.
National Championship Categories
The categories for the XC National Championship differ from the categories above in that they are based on age-group.
| Under 14 Boys, Under 14 Girls |
| Under 16 Boys, Under 16 Girls |
| Junior Men (17-18) |
| Junior Women (17-18) * depending on numbers |
| Women |
| Masters Women (40+) |
| Senior |
| M30 |
| M40 |
| M50 |
| M60 |
Year of birth by category (for 2025)
1986-2006 Senior
1976-1985 M40
1966-1975 M50
1943-1965 M60
